Andrew Conrad, Head of Life Sciences at Google, announced last week at the Wall Street Journal Digital conference that Google is developing a wearable sensor that can receive signals from circulating nanoparticles.

The nanoparticles are bound to antibodies against known biomarkers, and after being ingested as a pill, the nanoparticles circulate throughout the body in search of their targets. The particles are then able to report back to the sensor regarding status.

The overall idea is to be more proactive in identifying the presence of disease, and while it represents an enormously attractive approach to biomarker detection, I would offer bonus points (at the current exchange rate) to the person who can list the number of 30-story hurdles this moon shot needs to cross in order to become reality.

I wonder if this project is being measured more in terms of the number of innovations it spawns as opposed to its ability to achieve moon landing.

First reported by TechCrunch.